


Going Robo

by TobinWrites (choitobin)



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Eventual Romance, Fluff, M/M, Robot/Human Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26264536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/choitobin/pseuds/TobinWrites
Summary: In a very near future, the world’s Artificial Intelligence technology has advanced by leaps and bounds thanks to a certain robotics company. In a matter of years, robots have been slowly integrated into our daily lives. They’ve replaced people for jobs resulting in improved productivity for businesses and households who have opted to “go robo”, but this also resulted in the high rise of unemployment. Choi Yeonjun, unfortunately, is one of the victims of this and is, to put it mildly, broke as fudge.A chance encounter with an old friend might just be what pulls him up from the depths of poverty, provided he’s ready to "go robo" and welcome a unique addition into his life.
Relationships: Choi Soobin/Choi Yeonjun
Kudos: 20





	1. Project CSB-1205 (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone! I am Choi Tobin, TXT's resident giant bunny. And no, I don't mean Soobin. I love my boys very much and in my spare time I like to imagine them having different adventures in alternate universes! I've only recently received my AO3 invitation so I'm not very used to the whole interface yet, but I'm a quick learner!
> 
> Anyways, about this particular story. I got the idea from a manwha I recently read titled I.M. The plot is basically the same but I wanted to see our boys in the same situation. I'm trying to change up some of the things in the story so I hope you enjoy this!
> 
> Comments will be greatly appreciated!! <3

Robots. 'Bots, for short. They're everywhere these days. In stores as clerks, out on the streets handing out flyers, in restaurants cooking the most perfect dishes you could possibly imagine! They've made life a hell of a lot easier. For some. I say that because... I'm actually a victim of the robot uprising. I've been jobless for a total of two months now, ever since the place I worked at decided to cut people out in exchange for shiny new robots. I agree that they're effective and efficient and don't need days off, but those facts don't ease the pain of the harsh reality that my savings are dwindling every passing day that I'm without a job.

"I know I should be looking for more job opportunities but..." I place a hand on my belly and it immediately responded with a low grumble. "I don't think I can go on without having a bite to eat..."

I fish my wallet out of my pocket as I stand in the middle of a busy street. Opening it up has been giving me mini anxiety attacks these days. I peek in and felt a rush of relief after seeing that I still have a bit of cash left for my daily allowance. I decided I'd treat myself to lunch that's _not_ instant ramen from the convenience store.

I head for the nearest JollyBot branch and choose a line. I debate whether I should get the Mega Max Meal and skip dinner or save some coin and order the BotSaver Meal instead. After a minute of pondering, someone taps me on my shoulder.

"Yeonjun?" says a voice behind me.

I turn around and see a shorter, red haired boy, also lining up to order food.

"Choi Yeonjun!" he says with a smile as I face him. "I knew it was you! Still sporting your signature blue hair, I see!"

"Taehyun!" I beam back at my friend. "Oh my gosh, it's been a while!" I step in for a hug which he returns. "How long has it been?"

"Too long! How are you doing?"

"Oh, you know..." I scratch the back of my head and smile since I don't know what to tell him. "It's been a bit rough lately, to be honest. But I'm alright."

"Hyung, I know you. When you start scratching your head like that, it usually means things are decidedly _not_ alright!"

_Bolts._

"Fine," I roll my eyes, smiling. "I've been trying to look for a job ever since I got dismissed from work. Businesses are ' _Going Robo'_ so much these days, it's only a matter of time before these tin can monstrosities take over the world." I grumble, and I cross my arms in front of my chest for added effect. Going Robo is a term that has become increasingly popular these days. To put it simply, it means you own and use robots for... well, basically whatever it is you want them to do. Clean your house. Be your secretary, security guard, chef, yoga instructor, and list goes on.

He laughs at my little rant. "Oh, hyung, they're not so bad!"

I take a few steps back as the line moves forward so I still face Taehyun while we continue our conversation.

"Easy for you to say!" I pout. "I heard you were offered a job right after we graduated from university! By the number one robotics company in the country no less!"

"That's true." He smiles again, showcasing his perfect teeth.

Taehyun is somewhat of a genius. We were close when we were both still students in uni. We took the same classes and he excelled at all of them. I wasn't so bad myself, but Tyun was on a whole other level. During that time, robots were just rumors on the horizon. But Taehyun had the foresight to know that those weren't just rumors, it was a very possible future. He followed his gut and changed majors immediately. We didn't get to hang-out as much anymore when he shifted. He focused on his studies and went on to graduate _cum laude_.

He looks at me with a thoughtful expression as I took a step back towards the counter.

"What...?" I ask, suddenly suspicious.

"You know what, you might just be the perfect candidate." I could barely hear what he said over the noise around us.

"Candidate?"

He looks at me, his large, round eyes narrowing as he did. "Hmm, let's order food first. Then I'll tell you about a job opening."

 _A job opening._ Sweet, sweet words to my ears. My eyes widen as I look at the smiling face of my friend, and I thanked whatever Gods made me decide to get fast food instead of instant ramen today.

I turn around as it was finally my turn to order. With a smile, I told the robo-cashier:

"One MegaMax Meal, please! With an extra side of MicroChips!"

* * *

I dip a bunch of the MicroChips into my vanilla sundae and pop them into my mouth as Taehyun finishes explaining his job offer.

"Wait," I say while chewing on my fries. "So you're telling me I'm going to get my very own robot AND you're going to pay me to keep it?" I wash down my food with a huge gulp of soda, nearly choking from excitement.

"That's the gist. There are some rules and guidelines but I'm confident you won't find that to be a problem." Taehyun watches me eat with open fascination in his face. "You'll just be test running the newest model. That's it."

"What kind of robot is it? One of those Butler or Maid models?" I release a burp as I finish my soda.

"You still eat ravenously, I see." Taehyun eyes my side of the table with a small smile on his face.

I give him an awkward smile in return as I realize I've made a bit of a mess. "I just do everything passionately! That includes eating!" I say enthusiastically.

"And that's exactly why I think you'd be perfect for the job! The 'bot is a new model, meaning it doesn't fit any of the existing categories. I think you'll understand better if I show it to you." Taehyun starts cleaning up the clutter on our table.

"Wait a second. I haven't agreed to anything yet! What if this is one of those weird jobs I've been hearing about. The ones involving... unsavory activities with 'bots..." Who am I kidding, of course I want to get this job! I just didn't want to sound overeager for it.

"Oh, hyung. I've missed you." He laughs as he continues cleaning up our table. "It's nothing like that, trust me. And I'm pretty sure you won't say no once you know how much my company is willing to pay for this particular job." He grabs a burger wrapper from our pile of trash, produces a fancy pen from the front pocket on his shirt, and starts scribbling. He slides the wrapper across the table and my eyes bug out after seeing the amount scrawled on it.

"Wha..."

"Careful, hyung," he places a hand on my chin and slightly pushes it closed. "You'll drool all over the table," he says smugly.

"You can't be serious about this!" I take his hand away from my face and pick the burger wrapper up to check the amount again, making sure I counted the correct number of zeroes. "This is... this is insane!"

"Insane, yes. Serious, also yes. You'll understand when you see the robot." He stands up. "So, are you coming or not?" He carries our tray, gives it to a passing waiter 'bot, and then proceeds to walk out of the building, knowing full well that I was going to follow him.

* * *

I lean back as far as I can while standing at the foot of the tower Taehyun works in, marveling at the height of this beast of a building. It was the tallest structure in the city or, dare I say, in the country. As expected of the number one company that produces the highest quality robots in the market to date.

Taehyun calls me over as he finishes telling the security guard to let me in. I jog after him, giving a slightly awkward half-bow to the guard as I passed by. Then I realized it was a robot and mentally scolded myself. _Of course they'd have 'bot guards_.

"This way, hyung," Taehyun walks briskly across the expansive lobby, heading for the row of elevators along the wall to our right. I follow, half-dazed by what I was seeing and feeling a little self-conscious about what I was wearing. Every man, woman, and 'bot was either dressed sharply or wearing a lab coat. But the lobby's high glass ceiling caught most of my attention. It made the whole space feel magical and less rigid.

"Tyun, this place is amazing!" I say in wonder as we step into an elevator.

"I guess," he says nonchalantly, pressing the 30th button. "I've already sent a message to the higher-ups who are manning this project. They trust me enough to let me make some of the decisions. So if you agree to take on this job, we're all set."

Hearing all this from inside an elevator that's zooming up to the 30th floor of a tower rather than at a crowded fast food joint changes things. I begin to feel a little bit nervous, but the image of what Taehyun scrawled on that burger wrapper flashes in my mind, and it quickly erased any semblance of fear I was feeling.

The elevator produces a faint _ding_ as we reach our floor. Taehyun leads me around a few dizzying hallways until we reach our destination where a boy wearing a white lab coat is waiting for us.

"So, you've finally found someone!" he says as a way of greeting us. "This is great! I've been waiting for this project to officially get off the ground!"

"Calm down, Gyu." Taehyun takes out a card from inside his wallet and places it in front of a scanner attached to a metal door. The scanner glows green after a few seconds and the door slides open.

The three of us step into a large room full of machines, screens, lights, and wires. And in the middle of the room is a broad steel table with what looks like a robot containment capsule on top of it. Most of the wires in the room are connected to the table. That must be where the new model 'bot is.

Taehyun sweeps across the room and heads straight for a large screen, tapping on it frenziedly. The boy in the lab coat approaches me and puts out his hand for a shake.

"My name is Beomgyu. I'm Taehyun's assistant." he says, beaming up at me. He was only slightly shorter than I am. I take his hand and give him a firm handshake. He seems out of place in this kind of environment, but who am I to judge.

"I'm Yeonjun, Taehyun's Uni friend. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm sorry," came Taehyun's voice. "I should have introduced you two properly. I'm just a little bit excited."

"We both are," Beomgyu chimes in. He runs both of his hands through his chestnut brown hair as he walks towards Taehyun. "The project just recently finished," he explains. "And I didn't think we'd find someone to help us out with the testing so soon! Imagine my surprise when Tae-Tae messaged me that he'd found the perfect candidate!"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that," Taehyun says distractedly, his eyes glued to the screen in front of him.

This seems like a fun work environment despite all the mean-looking machines around the room. I know next to zero when it comes to robots, so I don't know why Taehyun thinks I'd be the perfect candidate for this job. But who am I to argue with the experts. Especially when the pay is almost three times as much as my previous salary! I'm definitely not arguing.

I walk over to the steel table slowly, waiting for them to tell me not to go near it. But no warning came. I've seen a couple of containment capsules before, but those seemed like old relics in comparison to this one. The capsule was made of a sleek, polished metal, and there's a small glass pane right above where the 'bot's head should be. I move in for a closer look when all of a sudden a loud hissing noise erupts from the containment capsule. I gave an embarrassingly loud yelp of surprise.

"Sorry!" Taehyun exclaims as he and Beomgyu walk towards me. Smoke spills from the capsule, cascading down the table and onto the floor as the cover slowly slides open.

"Aah, here he comes!" Beomgyu says as he does tiny, stationary bounces on his feet.

_He?_

The robot slowly sits up, smoke billowing all around him, and then its head slowly turns to face us.

Jet black hair, smooth white skin, round cheeks, and full lips. _Wow, they really went all out for this one._ I've never seen a robot that resembled a human so accurately. If I didn't know beforehand that this was a 'bot, I never would have guessed!

"This is TXT Project-CSB1205." Taehyun says proudly and Beomgyu adds a tiny squeal while he continues to bob on his feet. "Yeonjun hyung, meet the future of robotics. Choi Soobin."


	2. Giant Robo-Baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter where TaeGyu introduces Soobin to Yeonjun.

Most of the robots out in society these days are humanoid in form, but it's pretty obvious that they're 'bots. Robotics companies, even the one Taehyun is working in, haven't really bothered with making them look like real humans. The priorities were always efficiency and effectivity, everything else didn't matter. Until now, that is.

"Choi Soobin is our company's latest baby!" Beomgyu says excitedly, walking towards the 'bot that had extricated itself from its own containment capsule. "We're so proud of the work that went into him!"

Soobin was tall, and he looks like he was modeled after a male in his early twenties. _Probably around my age._ I look to Taehyun, asking for permission to check the 'bot out. He nods, his cherry red hair bouncing with the action.

I walk towards Beomgyu who is busy fussing over Soobin's clothes, trying to flatten out the creases and folds. Up close, the 'bot is even more unbelievable. I was expecting to find some hints or tells that Soobin was a robot but even being this close, it was basically indistinguishable from actual humans. I didn't know if I should be amazed or weirded out.

"What do you think?" Taehyun asks. "He's a wonder, isn't he?"

Soobin just stands there, looking at the room around him.

"It's definitely something," I say, my eyes still glued to the face of this miracle of science standing before me. "I noticed you call it 'he' like it's a real person."

Beomgyu gasps and immediately covers Soobin's ears with his hands.

"Don't say that in front of him!" Beomgyu reprimands me in an angry whisper. "You'll hurt his feelings!"

"F-Feelings...?"

Taehyun swats Beomgyu's hands away from Soobin's ears.

"Don't listen to Gyu. He's just overly dramatic." His assistant gives him a scowl and starts rubbing his hand.

Meanwhile, Soobin is still just standing there, eyes wide, taking in his surroundings. His lips are slightly open, forming a small 'o'. The expression is actually quite endearing, like a child's would be after entering a toy store for the first time.

"Is something wrong with...him?" I ask, almost saying 'it'. "He hasn't said or done anything yet."

"That's actually why we need to hire you to test run him," Taehyun explains. He stands beside Soobin, suddenly looking very short. "His code is incomplete, but we meant for it to be that way."

"I'm not sure I'm following..." I say, a little bit confused.

"He has the basics programmed into him, like language, basic motor skills, et cetera, but his code is going to gradually complete itself as he learns and adapts to his surroundings. We want to find out how well he can integrate into human society."

Tyun's voice then takes on a more serious note. "That means no one else but you can know that he's a robot." He places a hand on Soobin's shoulder. "Once he starts living with you, he'll adapt to things and, hopefully, become more and more like a human being. Think of it as taking care of an infant. Albeit a very tall one."

Soobin's eyes have finally stopped wandering and he's somehow decided that I was the next most interesting thing to look at. His eyes were very expressive for a robot, and it felt like he was going to punch a hole through my head with how intensely he was staring at me. I actually take a few steps back.

"I think he likes you." Taehyun says, eliciting a silent gasp from Gyu. "Even more reason you should take the job, hyung!"

Taehyun gently pulls Soobin by the arm and brings him closer to me.

_Bolts, he's really tall!_

"Soobin, meet Yeonjun."

The 'bot looks at Taehyun, looks back at me, and raises his hand forward for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Yeonjun," he says. His voice is deep but mellow. Whatever audio programming they used on him, it was perfect. I didn't think he'd sound like this but it actually kind of suits him.

"Nice to meet you, too," I say, grabbing the outstretched hand hesitantly. To my shock, I find that they were soft. It definitely felt like a real human's hand. My surprise must have been evident because Taehyun smirks at me.

"Realistic, no?"

"Very much..." I let go of Soobin's hand, ending the handshake.

"So, will you take the job?"

I pause for a second, quickly listing the facts one by one in my head.

  1. I am being paid a ridiculous amount of money to
  2. Take care of a freakishly tall robo-infant and
  3. I have to keep his being a robot a secret from everyone else in the world.



_Doesn't sound like a bad deal._

"One question," I say, holding up a finger.

"Shoot."

"If he somehow gets damaged or, you know, breaks... Do I have to pay for it?"

Taehyun's expression turns dark, which scares me. But then he bursts out laughing.

"Bolts, you scared me! I'm being serious!! I'm poor enough as it is!!"

"Oh, hyung, you should have seen your face!" He wipes a tear from his eyes. "You don't have to worry about a thing. As long as you don't break or damage him on purpose, we'll handle any and all costs."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Well, if that's the case..." I scoop Taehyun's hand up for an enthusiastic handshake. "It's a deal!"

"You do know no one makes deals via handshakes anymore, right?" Beomgyu says from behind me. "We have contracts to sign, and you need to fill out a ton of paperwork..."

"I KNEW THAT!" I say, cutting him off.

* * *

We finish all the paperwork after an hour or so. Taehyun and Beomgyu bombarded me with do's and don't's while I filled out what seemed like an endless amount of papers. Most importantly, I had to give them some personal details like my address and contact number, just in case there was an emergency. They let Soobin come with us to Taehyun's office on a different floor. It turns out Soobin's existence was a _very_ close-kept secret. Most of the other staffers in the building didn't know about him. In a way, having Soobin walk around the building with us was kind of like a test run. Taehyun offered to have Beomgyu drive us home when we were done. I, of course, did not pass up a free ride.

"Is this the right place?" Beomgyu says, stopping outside of a park that's relatively near my apartment building. "Are you sure you don't want me to just drive you directly home?" He unbuckles his seatbelt and turns around to face me and Soobin at the back of the car.

"Yes to both of your questions. I think it'd do Soobin some good to see the surrounding area. He's going to be living here from now on so it's better that he familiarize himself with the place as soon as possible." I watch Soobin gaze outside his window, his hands and face flat on the glass. _He really is a giant robo-baby..._

"Alright then," Beomgyu exclaims. He gets out of the driver's seat and begins to stretch. I also get out of the car and was halfway out before remembering Soobin. I turn around to see that he hasn't moved from his spot.

"Soobin..ssi?" I say. He turns around at the mention of his name but he still stays seated. _This is going to take some getting used to._ "We should get out of the car now." Only then did he move to exit the vehicle.

"You're going to do alright." Beomgyu says, apparently watching me. "He'll learn fast. You'll see."

_I really hope so._

"Thanks," I say, unsure what else to say or do. "So, uh, I'll make sure to call Taehyun if ever there's any trouble."

"Ah," Beomgyu says all of a sudden. "I almost forgot!" He grabs his bag from inside the car and rummages for something inside. He takes out a round gadget and hands it to me. It's around the same size as my palm and in the middle is a button with a heart sticker on it.

"What's this?" I ask, inspecting the item.

"It's an emergency button!" He says with a smile. "I tinkered with one of our prototype gadgets back at the lab. I made these in case we found a candidate to take care of Soobin. I thought phone calls and messages might not be as reliable compared to a dedicated and direct emergency line."

"What's with the heart sticker on it?"

"Never mind that," he says, brushing off my question. "That EB is connected to three others just like it. Two of them are with Taehyun and me, the third is a spare. Just in case." He fishes out another button from his bag and shows it to me. His has a sticker of a bear on it.

"Okay... so, how do I use this?"

"Press the heart button," he explains.

"Sounds simple enough." I stash the button into my pant pocket for safe keeping.

"Ah, Soobinnie!" I hadn't noticed but Soobin had already walked over to our side of the car and was standing behind me. "Be a good boy to Yeonjun, okay? I'm going to miss you!" Beomgyu proceeds to give Soobin a hug which the robot returns.

_Well, at least he knows how to give hugs._

"It's getting late." Beomgyu says after checking his watch. He slips back into his car and rolls the window down. "I really should get going. It was nice meeting you, Yeonjun! And remember, if there's any trouble, _anything at all_ , you know what to do!"

"Yes, I just pre—" I begin to say.

"Press the heart button!"Beomgyu cuts me off and then starts rolling the window back up. "Ciao!"

The car slowly eases back onto the road and then it was out of sight after he turns the first corner.

My neighborhood is pretty chill. There aren't too many cars that go through here, mostly because the people who live in the area can't afford one. This was a detail Taehyun and Beomgyu found soothing since it meant less chances of Soobin getting accidentally hit by a car. Like I'd let that happen!

"Okay, Soobin. Time to walk ho—" I turn around to find that I was alone on the side of the street. I do a quick 360 and find Soobin inside the park, chasing a squirrel together with a little girl.

_Definitely a giant robo-baby._


End file.
